Supply Chain Innovation

Syngenta Corn Seed Supply Chain, Thailand, 2014

Publication date:

Martes, Septiembre 29, 2015

From September 2014 to March 2015, during the peak seed production process, the FLA conducted three unannounced independent external monitoring visits to assess working conditions at Syngenta‘s corn seed supplier farms in Thailand. The assessments were conducted in Kampaengphet, Lamphun, and Nakornratchasima provinces where Syngenta is sourcing corn seeds.

The team of external assessors visited 79 farms and interviewed 66 workers. In Thailand, corn-growing farms are small family-run farms with few hired laborers. Growers from nearby villages are helping each other during peak activities. A few casual workers are hired for detasseling and harvesting activities. If the production region is bordering Myanmar, the labor force often involves Burmese migrant workers. The report below summarizes the FLA’s findings for its 2014 assessments, the companies’ responses to the 2014 findings, and company actions taken in 2014 in response to the 2013 round of assessments.